In winning tonight’s game, Chelsea have now drawn level with Liverpool with seven final wins in the competition but Liverpool will be left ruining such the highly disappointing performance which contributed to them conceding two goals.

Carroll’s stirring display from the bench gave supporters real hope that at Anfield South they were far from down and out in the 131 st Cup final but their second half showing was ultimately in vain.

There will be no domestic double this season.

Liverpool FC came into the game having failed to keep a clean sheet in this season’s Cup and any hope of bucking that trend was dashed after just 11 minutes.

The Reds’ keeper, the first Spaniard to play in two FA Cup finals, tried to second guess the Brazilian’s effort but ended up diving the wrong way.

Chelsea were hardly scintillating but several notches above a highly disappointing Liverpool.

The Stamford Bridge side snuffed out the threat of an isolated Luis Suarez with ease whilst the Reds struggled to put the shackles on Mata who orchestrated much of Chelsea’s play.

But with all but two of Liverpool’s FA Cup final goals coming in the second half, supporters still went into the break knowing there was no need to panic.

Steven Gerrard’s surging run early in the second half, which ultimately resulted in unsuccessful penalty appeals, raised hope of another Wembley fightback was possible but Didier Drogba soon cut through that optimism.

Collecting a pass in the area from Frank Lampard seven minutes after the restart, the Ivorian engineered room away from Martin Skrtel and fired low beyond the reach of Reina.

Excluding the Community Shield, Drogba has now scored in all eight of his Wembley appearances.

The fears that he would produce on the big stage were realised.

For all his detractors, Carroll has increasingly shown himself for the major stage in recent times and 12 minutes after Drogba had doubled Cheslea’s lead the Liverpool FC substitute cut the deficit.

Stewart Downing tackled Jose Bosingwa in possession, the ball ricocheted out to Carroll who showed composure and close control before firing high into Petr Cech’s net.

Liverpool were now awake and alive in the Cup final.

The Reds upped the ante and looked infinitely more threatening with Carroll partnering Suarez.